Lower Wolf Jaw #9

8/05/09
Another beautiful Wednesday to go hiking! I started out of the Ausable club and took the White trail to do the trip as a loop. I don't think this trail is used as much as the other, as the distance is a bit longer and there are no other high peaks off of it. That said it was still in great condition and had some really beautiful views on the way up, namely of Giant Mountain several times, and of Dix, Noonmark, Dial, Nippletop, Colvin and Blake. The trail had several steeper areas but overall I would say nothing too threatening until you approached the col that leads up to LWJ. On the last pitch up to the summit of LWJ there is a 50 yard stretch or so that is as steep as I've seen so far, and requires some hand and feet scrambling and some concentration to avoid some nasty things. Nothing really technical though and it went without more than a bump on my head from knocking it against a branch that I didn't spot in time. From there it was up to the top with some really nice views of the Great Range, MacIntyre Range, Marcy, Colden, and Big Slide...albeit through a limited range of vision. The trip back down the col between the Wolf Jaws was steep but nothing too crazy, and the trek down the moutain was pretty constistantly steep for the first mile or so, then was really just a walk in the woods for the rest of the trip back to the checkin. You do get some really nice views of a cascading waterfall and the East branch of the Ausable River as you head back, at least if you take the East River trail like I did. I even had the neet experience of spotting two deer, a doe and a fawn, less than 25 yards away along the side of the road on the way out! Yaah!